Bundling method and article produced thereby

ABSTRACT

In order to facilitate the handling of merchandise and to protect it during transit from the manufacturer to the wholesaler, jobber and retailer, an improved bundling method is provided for unitizing a plurality of light weight identical article-filled containers, each of which has at least one flat surface and preferably two parallel flat surfaces. The containers are delivered by a belt conveyor to a feed chute from which they are fed in a neat compact array into a bag made from a shrink film, e.g., a biaxially oriented heat shrinkable film. The bag with the ordered array of containers loosely filling it then is conveyed through a heated shrink tunnel wherein the bag is shrunk about the array to tightly enshroud and securely retain the containers in their prearranged compact formation. Prior to shrinking the bag has an open mouth and a closed bottom and the open mouth extends beyond the formation of containers inserted in the bag. Upon shrinking the bag mouth constricts on the formation to effectively close the mouth of the bag. Any construction of bag may be used.

United States Patent 91 Ruff 1 BUNDLING METHOD AND ARTICLE PRODUCEDTHEREBY [75] Inventor: Stanley Ruff, New Rochelle, NY.

[73] Assignee: Maryland Cup Corporation, Owings Mills, Mich.

[22] Filed: Jan. 31, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 222,097

[52] US. Cl. 206/65 S, 53/30, 206/45.33, 229/D1G. 12 [51] Int. Cl 865d65/16, B65d 85/62 [58] Field of Search..... 206/65 S, 65 C, 65 B, 65 R,206/45.33; 229/DIG. 12; 53/30 Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr.Attorney, Agent, or FirmKirschstein, Kirschstein, Ottinger & Frank [451Jan. 29, 1974 5 7 ABSTRACT In order to facilitate the handling ofmerchandise and to protect it during transit from the manufacturer tothe wholesaler, jobber and retailer, an improved bundling method isprovided for unitizing a plurality of light weight identicalarticle-filled containers, each of which has at least one flat surfaceand preferably two parallel flat surfaces. The containers are deliveredby a belt conveyor to a feed chute from which they are fed in a neatcompact array into a bag made from a shrink film, e.g., a biaxiallyoriented heat shrinkable film. The bag with the ordered array ofcontainers loosely filling it then is conveyed through a heated shrinktunnel wherein the bag is shrunk about the array to tightly enshroud andsecurely retain the containers in their prearranged compact formation;Prior to shrinking the bag has an open mouth and a closed bottom and theopen mouthextends beyond the formation of containers inserted in thebag. Upon shrinking the bag mouth constricts-on the formation toeffectively close the mouth of the bag. Any-construction of bag may beused.

17 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures BUNDLING METHOD AND ARTICLE PRODUCEDTHEREBY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates generally to the bundling art and more particularly toan improved method for forming a novel enshrouding bundle with anopen-mouthed closed-bottom bag of a heat shrinkable film.

2. Description of the Prior Art Many factory produced. article-filledcontainers are comparatively small, e.g., have dimensions in the orderof about one to about eight inches. Examples thereof are: cupscontaining foodstuffs such as ice cream, sour cream, butter and cheese;cans containing beverages and other liquids or foodstuffs; bottlescontaining beverages and other liquids; and packages, e.g., paperboardand cardboard boxes, containing any of a variety of items such, forexample, as cosmetics, automotive and hardware small parts like screws,nuts, bolts, washers, spark plugs, gaskets, carburetors, lamp bulbs anddistributor caps, bathroom accessories, soap cakes, soap powder,detergents, jewelry, books, magazines, and candy. Such article-filledcontainers are inconvenient to ship loose; hence, it has been customaryto bundle the same for economy of handling and shipment from a factorythrough the. distribution chain to a retailer who opens the budnleforsale of individual filled containers to the public. Typical bundlingprocedures are paper wrap bundling, shrink film wrap bundling, cartoningand paper bagging. Paper wrap bundling, shrink film wrap bundling, andcartoning are time consuming and costly and usually involve theemployment of sophisticated and expensive machinery. Paper bagging issimple and less expensive, but it, too, leaves much to be desired. Thus,the containers must be loosely fitted into paper bags which then must betightened as best as is possible by hand and closed as by adhesive tape.No matter how carefully bundled, the paper bags permitted-shifting ofthe containers therein so that bag-bundles were somewhat difficult tohandle as well as requiring considerable manual labor to package.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1. Purposes of-the Invention It is an object ofthe present invention to provide an improved method for bundling aplurality of identical article-filled containers that are to be handledand transported in a compact and ordered array within a bundle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bundleof a compact and ordered array of identically article-filled containersfor convenience in handling and transport.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved bundlingmeans for protecting a plurality of containers in a compact and orderedarray during transit from the manufacturer through the jobber,distributor, dealer, etc., to a retailer.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmethod for bundling a plurality of containers for handling andtransport, the method being lower in cost and simpler to perform thanheretofore possible.

Other objects of the invention in part will be apparent and in part willbe pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, arrangement of parts and series of steps whichwill be exemplified in the construction and process hereinafterdescribed, and of which the scope of application will be indicated inthe appended claims.

2. Brief Description of the Invention The present inventionprovides anew method for fabricating a novel bundle in which a compact and orderedarray of article-filled containers is unitized for handling andtransport. An open-mouthed closedbottom bag composed of a heatshrinkable plastic film, which may, by way of example, be from 1 to 3mils thick, is loosely placed over a plurality of identicalarticle-filled containers, each of which has at least one flat surface.Preferably, the containers have stiff walls such as is conventional incups, cans, bottles and boxes. The containers are small, i.e., havedimensions ranging from about one inch to about eight inches. The totalweight of all the filled containers in a bundle should not exceed fortypounds. The feature common to all of the aforementioned filledcontainers is that they may be readily grouped or stacked in aninterfitting relationship in an ordered and compact array, i.e.,formation, and since they all have at least one flat surface they may beefficiently placed in a feed chute from which they are shifted en masseintothe heat shrinkable plastic film bag in which they are looselyreceived with the open mouth of the bag extending beyond the formation,one end of which is adjacent the closed bottom of the bag. The shiftingis performed by pushing with the aid of any suitable means, eithermanually or automatically. The bag, together with the containerstherein, is placed upon a conveyor that traverses a heated shrink tunnelwherein the bag is heatedto a temperature such that the plastic film ofthe bag shrinks about the previously arranged compact ordered array ofcontainers to constrict the mouth of the bag and tighten the bag on thearray thereby providing a unitized bundle that greatly simplifiestransit from the manufacturer through the distribution chain to aretailer.

There are many advantages to bag shrink film bundling. First of all, thebag bundle after shrinking conforms to the shape of the groupedcontainers so as to provide a neat appearance with no looseness orwrinkles. The containers are immobilized to prevent dam- -age theretosuch as by scuffing or breaking, and to make handling, bulk packing,stacking and transporting easier. Bag shrink film bundling is lower incost than strapping with steel bands since the products that are sostabilized may be loaded and unloaded during transit and storage withsimplified apparatus. Another important feature of bag shrink filmbundling is that the removed packaging material is much easier todispose of than was the prior art material. Furthermore, bag shrink filmbundling is faster and cheaper and uses less man-hours than paper bagbundling and forms a much tighter bundle.

The bags utilize plastic films such as polyethylene, polyvinylchloride,polypropylene, etc., which are oriented during manufacture to providethe shrink characteristics. While the film is being manufactured it isstretched under accurately controlled temperatures and tensions tocreate the molecular orientations required. Once this has been achievedthe film is cooled so as to lock the film in the controlled, stretchedcondition. After a bag of the film is loosely placed around an orderedand compact array of containers that are to be bundled, the storedshrink energy of the film is released by heating to soften the plastic,thereby allowing the film to go back to its original, unstretchedcondition. For proper operation of the invention the film should shrinkin longitudinal and transverse directions.

One specific example of a biaxially oriented film useful in a bundle ofthe instant invention is cross linked polyethylene. The orientationprocess described briefly hereinabove increases the tensile strength ofthe film so that thinner gauges may be used with an attendant reductionin costs. Depending upon the film that is used, a shrinkage of as muchas 70 to 80 percent is possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, in whichare shown various possible embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating one example of thearticle-filled containers and typical apparatus that may be used incarrying out the method aspect of the present invention; A

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view, partially in horizontal section, ofthe apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view illustrating another step of the methodcomprising the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating one possible arrangement ofthe containers that comprises the bundle aspect of the presentinvention;

FIG. '5 is another perspective view illustrating an alternativearrangement of the containers within a bundle comprising the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 is still another perspective view illustrating a furtheralternative arrangement of the containers within a bundle of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate atypical apparatus that may be used in practicing the method comprisingthe present invention. A plurality of identical article-filledcontainers 10 are placed on the upper reach of a belt conveyor 12 in theultimately desired transverse (cross) registry and juxtaposition, andwith successive cross rows mutually spaced apart as a function of thedelivery characteristics of a filling and closing machine and the speedof the conveyor. The containers are of any type that includes at leastone flat surface, the bottom, and an opposed parallel surface, the top,when the array of containers includes vertical stacks forming plurallayers. A single flat surface is sufficient when the array includes novertical stacks, e.g., is a single layer. The first cross row of anarray of containers is delivered by the belt conveyor to the infeed edge14 of a feed chute l6 and rides smoothly over this edge. Convenientlythe feed chute is composed of horizontal flat bottom wall 18 the rearedge of which constitutes the aforesaid infeed edge. 14, this edge beinglocated slightly below the level of the upper reach of the belt conveyor12 and immediatelyadjacent that portion of the upper reach which istrained about the forward roller 20 of the belt conveyor. The base 18 isof rectangular configuration being sufficiently large to nicelyaccommodate an ordered and compact array of the containers. Extendingupwardly from the base are opposed vertical side walls 21, 22. The frontedges 24 of the side walls are sloped upwardly and rearwardly tofacilitate ensheathing of a bag therearound. The top and front of thefeed chute are open so that the feed chute in effect constitutes aU-shaped trough the rear of which is perpendicular to the base and thefront of which is inclined rearwardly and upwardly with respect to thebase.

The containers as grouped in the feed chute may be in. an orthogonalarray composed of straight rows and straight columns, or in a staggeredarray, the overall configurations being that of a rectangularparallelopiped. g

The first cross row or first two cross rows fed into the chute by theconveyor 12 transfer from the upper reach on to the base 18 of the chutethe first row being pushed into the chute and the second row while beingpushed into the chute, pushing the first row further along the chutewhile maintaining the transverse integrity of the two cross rows. Thisintegrity is maintained principally because the space between the twoside walls 21, 22 is such as to nicely, i.e., slidably, accommodate theoverall width of the cross rows. That is to say this space issubstantially equal to, but not less than the width of a cross row, sothat as successive rows are delivered into the chute, the containers ofeach cross row will stay in contact with one another and in transverseregistry, and successive containers of successive cross rows will stayin longitudinal registration, i.e., will not shift transversely.However, friction exists between the bottoms of the containers and thebase 18 of the feed chute. This friction tends to prevent an unlimitednumber of cross rows from being transferred from the conveyor into thefeed chute. Usually, although this is not necessarily the case,approximately two cross rows of containers will be delivered from thebelt conveyor into the feed chute, and subsequent cross rows will remainon the conveyor. Since customarily it will be de sirable to have morethan two cross rows of containers in an array, in order to enable such alarger number of cross rows of containers to be transferred from theconveyor to the feed chute, either mechanism may be employed for thatpurpose or, more simply, and in accordance with the preferred form ofthe invention, an operator pushes succeeding rows of containers that arelocated adjacent the delivery end of the conveyor from the conveyoracross the infeed edge of the feed chute on to the base 18. The operatorcontinues to do this until the desired number of cross rows ofcontainers are disposed on the feed chute.

Then the operator pushes the entire array of containers from the feedchute into a bag 28 which is draped around the feed chute, as shown forexample in FIG. 2. The bag is pulled on to the feed chute with its openmouth 30 first passing over the inclined forward edges 24 of the feedchute until the bag is opened, or the bag may previously have beenopened, and preferably until the closed bottom of the bag approaches thefront edge of the feed chute. The bottom of the bag may be actually inabutment with the front edge of the feed chute, although this is notnecessary. It suffices if the bottom of the bag is near the front edge.

If it is desired to have the array of containers in staggeredrelationship a feed chute is employed which is wider than the width of across array by not less than and approximately equal to one half thewidth of a container. The operator then assists in transferringcontainers from the conveyor to the feed chute, and during the transfer,shifts alternate rows right and left, so that successive cross rows arestaggered. Some arrays have the containers so disposed that alternatecontainers in cross rows and alternate containers in longitudinal rowsare inverted top for bottom. This enables a more compact array to besecured. The inversion of the containers can be performed either in theclosing machine or in an inverting machine subsequent to the closingmachine, or can be performed by the operator who will invert every othercontainer in every cross row. The containers have dimensionson the orderof about one to about eight inches, and their total weight, includingcontents, does not exceed forty pounds. The containers have stiff walls,being made, for example, of plastic, waxboard, paperboard, glass orsheet metal. The containers may be in the form of round cups, roundcans, round bottles or round or square boxes. An infinite variety ofarticles may fill the containers, e. g., dairy products, liquids,foodstuffs, beverages, powders, and miscellaneous merchandise.

The bag 28 is composed of plastic heat-shrinkable biaxially orientedfilm material. It will be appreciated that the feed chute will maintainthe containers in their ordered compact array as they are transferredfrom the feed chute into the bag, and the array thereafter will not tendto be appreciably displaced even though, as soon will be pointed out,the bag initially is larger than the array.

The bag 28 has an open mouth 30, side walls 32 and a closed bottom 34.The bag may be of any type, e.g., a flat bag composed of two rectangularpanels sealed to one another on three sides so that the bottom is formedfrom end portions of the panels, or a flat-bottomed side gusseted bag.The length of the bag is selected to be such that the mouth of the bagextends beyond the formation (array) of containers disposed therein. Theamount of extension must not exceed the amount of lengthwise shrinkageof which the bag is capable in the subsequent shrinking step. The bottomof the bag is located adjacent the exit end of the feed chute 16 and thebag mouth is positioned adjacent the entry end to the guide means.

Any suitable means may be used to push the array of containers from thefeed chute into the bag. The pushing can be done by hand or machine.

Continued movement of the containers to the right (FIG. 2) causes thecontainers to fill the bag and, concurrently, to push the filled bag 28off the feed chute and on to a conveyor 36 having an upper reach at theheight of the lower surface of the feed chute. The array of containersis a loose fit in the bag, the difference in girth of the array and thebag being less than the girthwise shrinkage of which the bag is capablein the subsequent shrinkage step.

As shown in FIG. 3, the conveyor 36 transports the filled bag 28 to andthrough a heated shrink tunnel 38. As is well known, by controlling therate of speed of the bag 28 through the tunnel 38 and the temperature ofthe hot air in the tunnel 38 the plastic bag 28 is caused to shrinkabout the array of containers 10. Upon leaving the shrink tunnel 38 theplastic bag 28 is allowed to cool either at room temperature or by theapplication thereto of relatively cool air which is shown schematicallyin FIG. 3 by the arrow 40. The shrinking of the bag takes place in twodirections. One is girthwise, i.e., around the bag. The other islengthwise of the bag, i.e., in a direction between the mouth andbottom. The girthwise shrinkage causes the mouth of the bag to constrictand form a retaining inturned flange 41 which defines an opening that issmaller than the girth of the array. This flange, therefore, effectivelycloses the bag mouth. The lengthwise shrinkage pulls the retainingflange toward an end of the array and tightly compresses the arraybetween it and the closed bottom of the bag. The girthwise shrinkagealso pulls the circumference of the bag tightly against thecircumference of the array. Thus the shrink bag tightly grips the arrayin length and girth so as to stabilize the pattern of the array andunitize the same. In this condition the bundled array can easily betransported and handled as if it had been tied, strapped, baled orcartoned.

Several of the bundles that may result from carrying out the methodcomprising the present invention are shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. In thebundle 42 shown in FIG. 4 there are twenty four containers arranged intwo vertically stacked layers of four by three orthogonally relatedcontainers each. Still another arrangement is shown in FIG. 6 wherein abundle 44 is comprised of alternately erect and inverted containers inorder to minimize the volume of'the bundle.

Particular note should be taken of the fact that the open end 30 of thebag 28 is considerably reduced in size after the application of heat andis, in fact, smaller than the smallest container. Thus no container canfall out and all of the containers are kept in their neat and compactrelative positions.

The bags desirably are transparent or translucent so that the containerscan be readily identified visually. Attention is directed to the concavesegments 46 of the bag between adjacent containers where the bag hasshrunk in at zones where the shrinkage has not been halted by the wallsof the containers. Such concave segments inhibit shifting of thecontainers within the bundle.

In an embodiment of the present invention biaxially oriented,thermplastic film between 1 mi] and 3 mils thick is used at a typicalshrink temperature between 330 and 380 F. Typical biaxially orientedpolyethylene, polyvinylchloride and polypropylene films are used.Polyethylene and polypropylene packaging films will shrink up to topercent in a lengthwise direction and about 30 to 40 percent in agirthwise direction when subjected to aforesaid temperatures.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that an improved method forbundling a plurality of like containers, each having at least one flatsurface, has been provided. The present invention eliminates the needfor costly banding, bundling and cartoning apparatuses and provides animproved unitized bundling that greatly facilitates the transport of thecontainers from the manufcaturer through the distribution chain to theretailer. A large number of containers may be easily handled in a singlebundle thus reducing the labor costs involved as well as protecting thecontainers from damage during transit.

It thus will be seen that there is provided an improved method forproducing a novel bundle which achieves the several objects of theinvention and is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in theaccompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

comprising the steps of;

a. arranging the containers in a compact formation which has top andbottom flat parallel surfaces defined by said containers;

b; enshrouding the formation en masse in a heat shrinkable plastic baghaving an open mouth and a closed bottom and in which the formation isloosely received;

0. an end of the formation being adjacent the bottom of the bag and theopposite end of the formation being spaced inwardly of the mouth by anamount less than the bag is capable of shrinking lengthwise; and

. without closing the mouth of the bag subjecting the bag and thecontainers therein to a temperature and for a time sufficient to shrinkthe bag onto the formation and with the mouth of the bag constricting toform a retaining inturned flange, with the length of the bag shrinkingto tightly press the formation between the flange and the bag bottom,with adjacent containers in mutual contact and with the girth of the bagshrinking to tightly embrace the girth of the formation.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the containers are ofround transverse cross section.

3. The method in accordance with claim I further including the step ofapplying relatively cool air to the bag after the bag is shrunk.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said arranging stepcomprises stacking the containers in at least two superimposed. layerseach having a plurality of containers.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said arranging stepcomprises arranging the containers in the same vertical orientation.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein said arranging stepincludes stacking the containers in at least two superimposed layers.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said arranging stepcomprises placing alternate articles in opposite vertical orientation.

8. An improved bundle comprising:

a. a plurality of like article-filled closed stiff-walled containershaving dimensions no one of which exceeds about eight inches, eachcontainer having at least one flat surface, the total weight of thefilled containers being less than forty pounds, said containers beingarranged in a compact pre-arranged formation in the shape of arectangular parallelopiped and with adjacent containers in mutualcontact, said' formation having top and bottom flat parallel surfacesdefined by said containers; and

b. a heat shrunk plastic bag tightly encasing said articles, said baghaving a closed bottom pressed against one end of the formation and anopen mouth with a constricted in-turned retaining flange pressed againstthe other end of the formation, the girth of the bag tightly embracingthe girth of the formation whereby said containers are securely retainedin the bag and prevented from moving within the formation.

9. The bundle in accordance with claim 8 wherein the containers are ofround transverse cross section.

10. The bundle in accordance with claim 8 wherein the containers arearranged in groups of at least two stacked layers.

11. The bundle in accordance with claim 8 wherein the containers face inthe same direction and are arranged in groups of at least two stackedlayers.

12. The bundle in accordance with claim 8 wherein the containersalternately face in opposite vertical orientations.

13. The bundle in accordance with claim 8 wherein the bag is made of abiaxially oriented film.

14. The bundle in accordance with claim 13 wherein the film is between 1mil and 3 mils thick.

15. The bundle in accordance with claim 8 wherein the bag is pellucid.

16. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the bag, after shrinkingtightly onto the formation of containers of round transverse crosssection, includes outwardly concave segments between adjacentcontainers.

17. A bundle as set forth in claim 8 wherein the heat shrunk bag thattightly presses the formation includes concave segments between adjacentcontainers.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,788,463 Dated January 29, 1974' Inventor s) STANLEY I RUFF It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the Title and Abstract Page of the patent, under heading [73]Assignee change "Mich." to, --'Maryland- Signed and seal this 9th day ofJuly 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:.

MCCOY M. GIBSQN, JR. H c. MARSHALLMDANN, Attesting OfficerCommissione'rbf Patents ORM PO-1050 (10-59) u sooMm-oc bean-Poe wus.covnnuim' manna omc: nu o-Ju-au.

1. A method for bundling a plurality of like article-filled closedstiff-walled containers having dimensions no one of which exceeds abouteight inches, each of which has at least one flat surface and the totalweight of which does not exceed forty pounds, said method comprising thesteps of: a. arranging the containers in a compact formation which hastop and bottom flat parallel surfaces defined by said containers; b.enshrouding the formation en masse in a heat shrinkable plastic baghaving an open mouth and a closed bottom and in which the formation isloosely received; c. an end of the formation being adjacent the bottomof the bag and the opposite end of the formation being spaced inwardlyof the mouth by an amount less than the bag is capable of shrinkinglengthwise; and d. without closing the mouth of the bag subjecting thebag and the containers therein to a temperature and for a timesufficient to shrink the bag onto the formation and with the mouth ofthe bag constricting to form a retaining inturned flange, with thelength of the bag shrinking to tightly press the formation between theflange and the bag bottom, with adjacent containers in mutual contactand with the girth of the bag shrinking to tightly embrace the girth ofthe formation.
 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein thecontainers are of round transverse cross section.
 3. The method inaccordance with claim 1 further including the step of applyingrelatively cool air to the bag after the bag is shrunk.
 4. The method inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said arranging step comprIses stackingthe containers in at least two superimposed layers each having aplurality of containers.
 5. The method in accordance with claim 1wherein said arranging step comprises arranging the containers in thesame vertical orientation.
 6. The method in accordance with claim 5,wherein said arranging step includes stacking the containers in at leasttwo superimposed layers.
 7. The method in accordance with claim 1wherein said arranging step comprises placing alternate articles inopposite vertical orientation.
 8. An improved bundle comprising: a. aplurality of like article-filled closed stiff-walled containers havingdimensions no one of which exceeds about eight inches, each containerhaving at least one flat surface, the total weight of the filledcontainers being less than forty pounds, said containers being arrangedin a compact pre-arranged formation in the shape of a rectangularparallelopiped and with adjacent containers in mutual contact, saidformation having top and bottom flat parallel surfaces defined by saidcontainers; and b. a heat shrunk plastic bag tightly encasing saidarticles, said bag having a closed bottom pressed against one end of theformation and an open mouth with a constricted in-turned retainingflange pressed against the other end of the formation, the girth of thebag tightly embracing the girth of the formation whereby said containersare securely retained in the bag and prevented from moving within theformation.
 9. The bundle in accordance with claim 8 wherein thecontainers are of round transverse cross section.
 10. The bundle inaccordance with claim 8 wherein the containers are arranged in groups ofat least two stacked layers.
 11. The bundle in accordance with claim 8wherein the containers face in the same direction and are arranged ingroups of at least two stacked layers.
 12. The bundle in accordance withclaim 8 wherein the containers alternately face in opposite verticalorientations.
 13. The bundle in accordance with claim 8 wherein the bagis made of a biaxially oriented film.
 14. The bundle in accordance withclaim 13 wherein the film is between 1 mil and 3 mils thick.
 15. Thebundle in accordance with claim 8 wherein the bag is pellucid.
 16. Amethod as set forth in claim 2 wherein the bag, after shrinking tightlyonto the formation of containers of round transverse cross section,includes outwardly concave segments between adjacent containers.
 17. Abundle as set forth in claim 8 wherein the heat shrunk bag that tightlypresses the formation includes concave segments between adjacentcontainers.